Greinke tries to pitch Angels to sweep of Tigers

Sep 9, 2012 - 2:18 PM
(Sports Network) - The move to acquire Zack Greinke is beginning to pay off
for the LA Angels of Anaheim and the right-hander looks to keep his unbeaten
streak intact in the finale of a three-game series versus the Detroit Tigers.

Greinke is 3-0 with a 1.66 earned run average and 16 strikeouts in his last
three starts, spanning 21 2/3 innings, and fired seven innings of one-run ball
in a 6-1 win at Oakland last time out Tuesday. He improved to 4-2 in eight
starts with the Halos to go along with a 4.36 earned run average.

The right-hander, who is 13-5 in 29 starts with both Milwaukee and Anaheim
this season, recently defeated Detroit on the road Aug. 24 in a 2-1 victory
and yielded only a run in 7 2/3 frames. In 26 career games, 23 of which have
been starts, against the Tigers, Greinke is 12-6 with a 2.74 ERA.

Detroit will counter with Anibal Sanchez. Much like Greinke, Sanchez was
acquired in a deal and came over from the Miami Marlins. Even though he has
given up two earned runs in his last three starts, Sanchez is 1-1 in that
time. He last toed the rubber in a 3-2 loss to Cleveland and did not figure
into the decision, permitting two unearned runs in six frames.

Sanchez is 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA in seven starts with Detroit and is only 2-5 in
his past seven decisions. The righty is 7-11 in 26 starts with Miami and
Detroit this season and faced the Angels the only time in his career last June
20 in south Florida. He held them to a run in seven innings in a 2-1 loss and
did not figure into the decision. Sanchez had eight Ks with no walks.

Detroit was hoping ace Justin Verlander could cool down the surging Angels,
but he was pelted for six runs and nine hits in six innings of last night's
6-1 loss. Omar Infante had a team-best two hits and drove in the lone run for
the Tigers, who fell two games behind the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central
lead and are 4 1/2 games off a wild card spot.

"It wasn't his night out there," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said about
Verlander. "He wasn't very good and the Angels ambushed him early. They are a
good team and are fighting for a playoff spot, same as us."

The Tigers have lost four of five games and are 0-2 on a 10-game road trip.
They will visit the White Sox for four games after this set.

Angels starter C.J. Wilson allowed one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings of work
for the win. Mike Trout homered and Albert Pujols went 3-for-3 with an RBI and
two runs scored for the Angels, winners in five straight and 14 of 17 games.

"I tried not to do too much," said Wilson. "I just tried to get on the same
page with the catcher and hit the glove. If you take the walks out of the
game, I think this was my best game."

The Angels are even with Tampa Bay at two games off a wild card spot, and will
host Oakland for four games on this homestand.

The Tigers have won five of nine matchups with the Angels this season.